The Massachusetts State Senate 9-30, rejected an amendment that would require the secretary of state, in consultation with the United States Election Assistance Commission (EAC), to develop new rules and standards to ensure the cyber-security and general security of elections in the commonwealth to combat election fraud and other election security threats. The bill requires the rules to comply with those established by the United States Department of Homeland Security.

Amendment supporters said the integrity of our democracy and voting system must be protected. They noted that the state has received $7.9 million from the federal government for the state to spend on election security but has only spent $1 million.

Amendment opponents said the EAC and the Department of Homeland Security have not yet issued any guidelines for the state to follow. They noted they support improving election security but argued the state will have to wait until the federal government can get its act together so we can use the funds allocated to us to work on these issues with them.